There are a number of concepts that are widely used in the aeronautical industry so as to sealably close a cutout opening in an aircraft structure so as to accommodate moveable aircraft components, for example a cutout opening in a wing fuselage fairing which allows the passage and movement of a flap torque tube to operate wing-mounted aerodynamic flaps. In this regard, it has been proposed in the past to provide an external fairing having a circumferential rubber based seal so as to physically cover the fuselage cut-out opening. The provision of an external fairing however leads to a considerable drag penalty for the aircraft due to the increased frontal and wetted airflow areas. Moreover, actuation of the flaps will in turn expose the cut-out opening thereby generating cavity noise.
Internal vertical seals have also been proposed whereby two seals are positioned normal to the flap torque tube such that upper and lower parts of the seal cover all of the cut-out opening. In order for such vertical seals to be install so as to work properly, it is necessary for the shape of the fairing to be fully planar and oriented normal to the flap torque tube. Such a condition results in a vertical compression of the seal which, as a consequence of this shape and compression, the lateral regions of the seals must be opened. The full cut-out covering situation thereby leads to a seal being always compressed in a certain part along its length, which reduces seal lifespan.
What has been needed in the art, therefore are variable angular compression seal assemblies which address the problems of the known proposals discussed above thereby extending the serviceable lifespan of the seal and improving seal performance. It is towards providing such improvements that the embodiments disclosed herein are directed.